Trolling motors are commonly used on bass boats, pontoon boats, and other watercraft for fishing or other operations which require a relatively high degree of manueverability along shorelines or in other tight locations. Various types of trolling motor assemblies are known in the art. One common type of trolling motor is a single tube assembly comprising: an electric motor and propeller assembly secured on the lower end of an elongate tube or other column; a control head or housing structure attached in fixed position on the upper end of the column; and an electrical cable extending through the column from the control head to the motor and propeller assembly for operating the motor. The single tube trolling motor will typically be either manually rotated or rotated by external mechanical means for steering the watercraft.
An example of another common type of trolling motor is a rotating tube assembly comprising: a control head or other housing structure having a fixed tube extending from the bottom thereof; a rotatable tube or other rotatable column having an upper end which is received in the control head and a lower end which projects from the lower end of the fixed column; an electric motor and propeller assembly secured on the lower end of the rotatable column; an electrical cable extending through the rotatable column from the control head to the propulsion motor for operating the motor; and a steering motor and gear assembly provided in the control head for rotating the rotatable column in order to turn the motor and propeller assembly for steering the watercraft.
A typical trolling motor presently available in the market will include an integral electronic controller having a central processing unit for controlling and/or monitoring one or more, typically a plurality of, operational subsystems within the motor. Examples of functions typically performed by these subsystems include: steering; propulsion (e.g., motor and propeller speed, forward and reverse, etc.); monitoring and indicating battery status; receiving and decoding control signals from the user interface; and monitoring temperature, current, voltage, and/or other conditions at desired locations. In addition, if the trolling motor is of a type having a depth tracking system incorporated therein for fishing, the central processing unit can also include circuitry linked to the depth tracking system for automatically controlling and displaying steering position and speed. The integral electronic controller can communicate with the operator interface via a cable connection or by radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), or other wireless communication. Examples of typical user interfaces include, but are not limited to, operator consoles, foot pedals, and key fobs.
Examples of trolling motors having integral electronic controls systems incorporated therein are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,338, U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,831, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,446. The entire disclosure of each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,338 discloses a trolling motor having a receiver circuit included on a control circuit board in the trolling motor control head. The receiver circuit receives user commands, preferably by RF transmission, from a foot pedal transmitter circuit. The control circuit board also includes a control circuit which controls the operation of a steering subsystem and a thrust subsystem based upon the radio frequency commands.
In the trolling motor of U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,338, the RF receiver circuit is preferably an integrated circuit which receives the user's RF signal commands and develops appropriate digital signals which are then transferred to a receiver microcontroller. The receiver microcontroller in turn develops individual output signals which correspond to the foot pedal signals. The control circuit also utilizes an integrated circuit microcontroller which receives the command signals from the receiver microcontroller and develops appropriate signals for controlling the steering and propulsion subsystems. The control system also includes low battery indicators which provide a flashing signal in the event that there is a problem with the batteries or with the boat wiring system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,446 discloses a DC-powered trolling motor which incorporates an integral pulse width modulation (PWM) controller to control the voltage applied to the motor, and, hence, to control the speed of the motor. The PWM controller is contained in the motor and propeller housing and is therefore submerged during operation. The PWM controller comprises: a microprocessor having analog inputs, a pulse width modulator output, a digital output, and a serial input for receiving motor speed commands from a foot pedal; a reversing relay for changing the polarity of the power applied to the motor; a relay driver for energizing the reversing relay; a solid state switch for energizing the motor; and a current sensor and amplifier for measuring the current flowing through the motor. The controller also includes a temperature sensing device which allows the microprocessor to monitor the temperature of the motor and to adjust the electrical drive to the motor to prevent overheating.
A need exists for a trolling motor diagnostic system that is simple to operate, is highly effective and fast, and requires minimal training and equipment. As the use of electronic controls and systems within trolling motors has become more sophisticated and complex, it has become increasing difficult for assembly line and service technicians to diagnose problems within the trolling motor. To diagnose and address problems effectively, it has been necessary for the technician to possess a thorough understanding of the trolling motor hardware and software and to be versed in the use of sophisticated instruments such as oscilloscopes and digital multimeters. In addition, the equipment necessary for performing diagnostics becomes even more specialized if the trolling motor uses an RF command system. Further, if the integral electronic control system is potted (i.e., sealed in or under a protective covering), only certain select signals are available for external analysis.
Heretofore, integral diagnostic systems capable of being used in trolling motors or other watercraft systems have not been available. Although diagnostic data systems have been used in automobiles, diagnostic systems of this type are not adaptable for use in RF controlled or other types of trolling motors and are incompatible with the open environmental and operational conditions encountered with watercraft systems.